Fewer cars and less congestion

in your leader, Rite of Passage (June 1), you state that ‘hard-pressed motorists are heading for more woes’ as South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) applies for a share of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and that efforts to encourage young people to use public transport were ‘doomed to failure’. You say money will be used for bus lanes, sidelining private cars.

Studies show that improving bus infrastructure at locations that regularly suffer from delays helps the economy while also helping the environment by reducing emissions. Bus lanes encourage more people to use buses in peak hours, meaning fewer cars on the road and thus less congestion. In one instance in Leicester, bus priority along a radial route into the centre saw a cut of 17% in vehicles in the morning peak and bus journey times reduced by 22%. This also improved flow for other vehicles, rather than causing them woes.

Encouraging people to use public transport at a young age often means they are more likely to use it when older. It doesn’t however mean they can’t enjoy driving a car at other times, and so the ‘rite of passage’ of becoming a driver is not undermined by catching a bus.

David Brown,

SYPTE Director General

No difference

In reply to DM (re Hucklow Rd trees), the Brushes TARA have been fighting over this area and others on the estate for years just to be told it’s low or no maintenance. If it was somebody’s garden it would be classed as untidy. So what is the difference?